My Company

I review this list of 15 "must do" items every day, and will continue to do so. If you open up to a new selling paradigm and read this list daily, I assure you that your sales will increase, along with your joy in the selling process.

I believe that a great selling technique delivers predictable results. It's key to find a system that eliminates all of the problems and issues — stalls, objections, indecision, irrationality, chasing — that traditional selling only purports to eliminate. In reality, I believe traditional selling actually makes things worse.

When clients see your traditional selling strategies coming (and they do), they are well-prepared to defend themselves. In the end, clients take control of your meetings, put you to work with no remuneration and get the information they want while you get nothing to put in the bank.

To shift my selling (and yours) from old-school manipulative tactics to more modern ways that meet the demands and savvy of the modern consumer, I prepared a list of 15 "must do" things to do and remind myself of each day.

Shifting into a different selling mode is not easy. There are 150 years of traditional sales methods surrounding us — ideas that we've been
conditioned to think selling is all about. However, this is not the case. These are just old habits we have come to believe in, mostly because we have had no alternative methods to choose from. My "must do" list is my way of breaking the old habits and moving into a new selling paradigm suitable for the new consumer so prevalent these days. I'd like to share this list with you:

1. You must wake up

Waking up means becoming aware of your thoughts, feelings, opinions and beliefs so you can bring yourself into a state of reality, instead of make-believe.

2. You must be honest

Be honest — that means with yourself and your prospects. You cannot be afraid to say what you think and feel and to stand your ground.

3. You must respect your client’s intelligence

While your clients come to you for help, that doesn’t mean they are not intelligent. If you don’t honor your client’s intelligence, how will they honor yours?

Stop trying to get your clients to see your point of view. Work hard to see their point of view first and then they will ask you about yours and be open to hearing about it.

6. You must develop a "good friend" personality

Meaningful relationships develop through friendly (not manipulative) conversations. What would your conversation sound like if you were talking with your client at a party, perhaps over a drink? Be the good friend.
7. You must develop a "lethal business" personality

Behind your good friend personality must be a lethal business person. Otherwise, your sales calls will turn into social meetings. Lethal
business personalities take control and earn respect while being that good friend.

8. You must address your inner fears

We all have inner fears. If you don’t address them, you will look to your clients to take those fears away. Never dump your fear on a client.
They will not take care of you, and you will lose respect in their eyes.

9. You must identify your true selling priorities and goals

Sure, you think you’re there to make a sale, but that may not be the case. If you are trying to get some of your unmet needs taken care of in your sales calls, like wanting people to think you are very smart, you will lose sales that you would have otherwise made.

10. You must understand that the world works in reverse

If you say no more often to clients, they will say yes more often. If you push them away, they will want to come closer. If you tell them your fees are very high, they will say they are not too bad. If you don’t try and sell them, they will try and sell you on why you should sell them. And so it goes.

11. You must stop forcing a close

The idea of closing kills more sales than it makes. Instead, find your client’s true emotional motivation and let them close themselves.

12. You must never chase

Chasing is demeaning to you and your clients. Need I say more?

13. You must step out of your comfort zone

Throw away the security blanket. Unless, of course, you want to let your old selling habits rule your life.

14. You must follow your intuition

Yes, you have it; and yes, there are many gut feelings when you are in a selling situation. If you are willing to leave your comfort zone, your intuition will become you best selling friend.

15. You must learn a new selling vocabulary

Throw out all the old selling words — close, tie downs, warm-up, hot buttons, etc. Following this "must do" list will help you build a new vocabulary suitable for the modern-day world.

Conclusion

I review this "must do" list every day, and will continue to do so. Why? Because it is the most powerful game changer that I've ever
used. If you open up to a new selling paradigm and read this list daily, I assure you that your sales will increase, along with your joy in
the selling process.

About the Author

Steve has been an elite producer and sales coach for over 22 years. His passion is helping financial advisors improve their sales meeting process and overall success in the business. Before launching Wealth Financial Group in 2009, and still to this day, Steve is out there on the front-lines me... More